Lives up to the hype - mostly

Rating: 7/10 (18 March 2014)

There was a lot of hype before I watched this. For the most part, it was deserved, though I would have liked it to spend a little bit more time explaining why they could build such a high-tech machine yet couldn't make it work with one operator. I mean, even present-day tech can make pilotless machines, let alone machines operable by one man.
Plot-wise, the story moves fast - a short background of the man-monster war, a quick overview of the Jaegar and its capabilities, then lots of action scenes. In terms of action, this movie does not disappoint. There are lots of action sequences, lots of machine-monster battles, and just a bit of psycho-talk to let the heart-rate rest for a while between battles. I didn't particularly care for the slow scenes in-between where the characters examine one another's motives - they didn't add much to the movie, but they didn't distract much from the main plot either.
The Kaijus were for the main part credible. I do have some quibble about their origins though. While I can accept them evolving into intelligent creatures, I thought some of their capabilities were too far-out. I mean, an organic being which can generate their own EMP pulse?
The acting was passable - for the most part, you could feel the characters' excitement and anxiety. Character development is scant, as expected from an action flick, but I went in expecting lots of epic battles, not character profiles anyway, so it wasn't a loss for me. Many would think me petty for saying this, but Hunnam's voice and tone here grated on me for some reason. And it's not his fault, but he has way too many clichéd phrases.
The CG effects were commendable, since it is not easy making battles involving huge robots and monsters seem realistic enough for you to suspend disbelief. I am a little disappointed though that most of the major battle scenes are night or underwater scenes - so some of the action is lost in the darkness - lots of bright lights and explosions, but details are lost.
If you're looking for an epic action movie, this one should feel the need just fine.